Safety Measures in

Steel and Iron

industry

BY,
STARWIN JOHNSON
MTECH IN ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING
MANIPAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
• The iron and steel industry is a heavy industry.
• It will be giant plant where there are massive equipments, and movement of large
masses of materials, employees are exposed to the heat of molten metal and slag at
temperatures upto 1,800 ᵒC
• It contains hazardous chemicals, electricity, steam, working at height, working in
confined space etc.
• Environmental issues associated with steel manufacturing primarily include the
following:
 Air emissions
 Solid waste and Wastewater
 Noise
Occupational health and safety issues are:
• Physical hazards
• Heat and hot liquids
• Radiation
• Respiratory hazards
• Chemical hazards
Steel Manufacturing Process
Safety Measures during smelting
process
• People working in and around the furnace and oven areas
should be provided with suitable PPE.
• Only authorized persons should be allowed near furnaces.
• Ultraviolet (UV) and/or infrared light-resistant goggles or face
shields should be provided where there is a requirement for the
authorized visual inspection of furnaces.
• Continuous detectors should be installed to provide early
warning of raised levels of dangerous gases.
• There should be proper ventilation and collection bags for dust should cleaned or
replaced properly.
• The fuel supply to gas- or oil-fired furnaces should be fitted with an automatic
shut-off mechanism.
• The building should be designed to be non-combustible.
• Furnaces should not be operated beyond their safe lives.
FOUNDRIES
FOUNDRIES

• A competent person should regularly inspect ladle buckets and their supporting,
locking and tipping mechanisms.
• Before each filling, the pouring of, or transport of slag ladles and their related
appliances should be visually inspected.
• Test results, including remedies for cracks and other defects, should be recorded.
• Corrective repair measures that are recommended should be planned and
implemented on a timely basis. There should be a system for checking and
ensuring that the corrective measures have been completed.
 Rolling mills
• Dangerous parts should be securely guarded to
prevent severe injuries caused by shearing,
cropping, trimming and guillotine machines.
• An effective lockout/tag out programme should
be planned, implemented and monitored for
maintenance and repair.
• An adequate number of bridges with appropriate
guardrails should be installed.
• Gratings, absorbent materials and boots with slip-
resistant soles should be provided in addition to
regular cleaning of the floor to prevent slips, trips
and falls.
• A trip device should be installed.
 Surface
Preparation
• Scarfing and surface grinding should be done in
enclosures, with good exhaust ventilation.
• Workers should be provided with respiratory
protection where the ventilation does not reduce
exposure to levels below the appropriate exposure
limits.
• Workers involved in scarfing should be provided with
hearing protection
• Metallic residues from surface preparation should be
recycled or disposed of in a manner that minimizes
exposure to dust.
Coating lines
• Placing Guards, railings, enclosures and signs
• Worker education and training.
• Material safety data sheets should be provided for each of the hazardous
chemicals.
• Areas which have strong electromagnetic fields should have warning signs
posted and persons with a pacemaker or metal implant should avoid them.
• All chemicals should be evaluated for potential toxicity and physical hazards,
and less hazardous materials should be substituted where possible.
Internal transport
• Operators of vehicles should receive and maintain adequate training and the
required certification according to the regulations established by the competent
authority.
• Operators should have the necessary knowledge of the hazards and potential
risks concerning the transportation of cargo.
• Operators of certain types of vehicles may require regular medical surveillance.
• The safe operating speed for vehicles should be posted and enforced.
• Vehicles should be equipped with ventilated cabins to protect workers from
hazardous materials.
COMMON BASIC
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

• An appropriate escape and rescue plan should

be prepared in every plant
• First-aid boxes should always be clearly visible.
• Employers should ensure that workers in noisy
environments are informed of.
• Informing and training workers on entering and
working in the confined space of the hazards.
Gases produced from smelting process
CO2 gas

• Adoption of “smokeless” charging measures.

• Adoption of coke dry quenching (CDQ) system.
• Adoption of non recovery-coke battery.
Nitrogen Oxides

• Addition of absorbents such as hydrated lime [Ca(OH)2], calcium oxide (CaO),

or fly ashes with high CaO content injected into the exhaust gas outlet before
filtration.
• Installation of gas wet scrubbing systems in dedicated collecting and dedusting
system.
• Use of a wet-scrubber injection of a slurry mix containing calcium carbonate
(CaCO3), CaO, or Ca(OH)2.
• Use of a dry scrubber.
CO

• Full capture of off-gases from coke oven, BF and BOF.

• Recycling gases containing CO.
• Use of foamy slag practices in EAF process.
REFERENCE

Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines for Integrated Steel Mills from
"World Bank Group"
Code of practice on safety and health in the iron and steel industry from
"International Labour Organisation"
THANK YOU